Aqua Wellness

Aqua Wellness (Pacific Grove Only)

Watsu $150

Water Shiatsu is a form of aquatic therapy, which quiets the mind, relaxes the body and opens the heart. It is a uniquely nurturing combination of massage, yoga-like stretches and point work carried out in skin temperature (96 degrees) water. The weightless environment of the water allows for graceful, fluid dance-like movements which free the body and can assist the receiver in deeply relaxing

What is a Watsu® session like? Receiving a Watsu is akin to floating safely in a warm, womb-like world of nurturing, deep peace. If you can imagine this combined with graceful, fluid, ribbon like movements, which can include massage, point work (shiatsu), stretches and a very powerful dose of relaxation, you are almost there. Imagine that your eyes are closed and your ears are submerged just below the surface creating a very quiet and soothing environment to simply and effortlessly surrender into.

This uniquely serene surrounding creates what many have referred to as “instant meditation”. The water provides an almost weightless environment, freeing the spine and soothing tired aching muscles. The joints are freed through joyous, pleasurable articulations created by the currents of the body-temperature water swirling around the body and the expertise of the practitioner’s guiding. Watsu can induce a sense of timelessness and spaciousness as one enters profound Alpha states providing the body with the deep rest required for it to rejuvenate and heal itself. Movement and stillness dance in harmony with the breath as the receiver is invited to completely let go. The water allows for gentle motion to carry the body, mind and spirit into a deep experience of relaxation, often times connecting receivers back to a place of harmony and balance within themselves.

WaterDance $150

WaterDance is a form of Hydrotherapy performed in body temperature water in which the receiver is eventually guided through various movements underwater while wearing a nose clip. The nose clip is necessary to prevent water from entering the nose and allows the practitioner to take the client on a profound underwater journey: one of graceful, fluid motion, weightlessness, time suspension, and altered realities of movement. Light is dimmed, sounds are muffled and gravity becomes a syrupy slow motion dance of submergence and emergence, waves, twists, rolls, inversions and quiet stillness offering a physical freedom beyond what can be experienced on land. Receivers often report opening to a new sense of freedom, trust, joy, ecstasy, bliss, renewed heart connection and deep meditation.

What is a WaterDance session like? WaterDance, like Watsu begins at the surface of thewater where the client is gently floated and moved through a series of stretches to warm up the body. The practitioner’s focus is to sensitively guide the receiver into a state of deep relaxation as preparation to go under the water. One of the most powerful aspects of WaterDance is an attention to the breath rarely experienced in any other modality. It becomes the giver’s meditation to empathetically tune in, support and encourage the receiver to relax into a deeper awareness of their Being, body and breath. This degree of breath connection and presence elicits a quality of rapport between giver and receiver, which many report having seldom experienced before. A profound level of trust and surrender then becomes the key to safe passage through the doorway between the two worlds above and below the water’s surface.

When the practitioner feels that the client is relaxed and ready, they are offered the noseclips and the underwater journey can begin. After a full inhalation, the client’s face is then slowly turned toward the surface of the water and gently allowed to submerge. A phenomenon known as the “diving reflex” begins to take effect as the water brushes across the client’s face. This causes the heart rate, blood pressure and metabolism to slow down contributing to the ability to stay longer under the water without apparent effort. When the client is ready to re-emerge, a natural “cue” is transmitted and the client is effortlessly brought up to the surface. Inhalation is once again triggered with the caress of air on the face and plenty of time is given between submerging to reoxygenate and integrate.

Gradually the practitioner can often take the client for ever longer periods underwater, moving them through a veritable dance of movements depending on their particular body. This sense of freedom is an ideal state to release any holding patterns, whether physical, mental or emotional and open to reconnecting with the joy of one’s essential nature and what many describe as, “coming home”.

Aqua Yoga Classes

Yoga in the pool is an amazing place to experience the many benefits of yoga. It is therapeutic and supportive. The feeling of weightlessness in the water takes the stress out of challenged joints and stabilizes them to free muscular tightness or discomfort.

Aqua Kirya Yoga is great for all body types and abilities. Many students may find yoga on a mat somewhat limiting or frustrating and may have difficulty getting into certain poses.

Students that benefit are of all ages including pregnant women, those with arthritis, muscle and joint limitations, overweight, stroke & cancer survivors, the senior adult community and wheel-chair or walker- bound students,.

The experienced yoga students are finding that they can take their practice to a whole new level by practicing familiar or new poses on a deeper level. They are finding a new element for their restorative practice to unwind and relax.